


Across the Year

by drunkdragon



Series: My Tumblr Prompts [12]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt and comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Long-Distance Relationship, Separation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 06:51:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11202705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drunkdragon/pseuds/drunkdragon
Summary: Sometimes, separation can't be avoided.





	Across the Year

**Author's Note:**

> ‘Kisses because I missed you and you really shouldn’t stay away so long’ - Qrowin

“So… tomorrow’s the day.”

“I’ll be gone for some time. Will you be okay?”

“It’s just six months.”

“ _ Will you be okay? _ ”

“Never. When do you get air time again?”

“On the fifteenth, like I told you all the other times.”

“Just committing it to memory.”

“... Qrow, are you sure you don’t-”

“I’m not going to risk you finding out you’re pregnant on the field.”

“There  _ are _ other things we can do, you know.”

\---

_ July _

The first thing he said was that he missed her. That was the first thing she said too. He made a joke about how he could stay out late again but instead of bars it was playing boardgames with his nieces and Tai. Her laugh was like little bells - enough to be happy, but not enough to make her very happy. This call was more for her than it was for him - after all, she couldn’t say anything about the mission.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ August _

Summer break was coming to an end, so Qrow was getting back into the swing of teaching. Courses to plan, meetings to attend, dates to track and keep in mind. He wasn’t sure how much Winter actually took in or if she was just enjoying the way his voice sounded. Everything he asked about could only be generic because it was always classified otherwise. He made a note to ask later since he ran out of time already.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ September _

Turns out Winter did like listening to his voice during her air time. Her mission wasn’t easy by any means and was stressful in addition to not being able to say anything about it. So aside from her asking some questions, he said that it was okay if she just wanted to hear him talk. That way it was always something she was at least interested in.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ October _

School was in full swing, so Qrow talked about his students. He still worried whether he had what it took to be a parent. Winter gently chided him, saying that he would be fine. He at least had experience with children while she had none.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ November _

Breaking tradition, Qrow asked if she would be able to celebrate this month. To his pleasant surprise, she stated that the Intelligence division would be planning out the dinner party. It would be small and held at her ‘apartment’. He asked if it would be too suspicious, but she shook off the question. All parts of Remnant celebrated the end of the Great War. It would be unusual if they didn’t celebrate. She would miss his turkey though, and they talked about food for the rest of the call.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and that he’d make her favorite dish when she came home. She laughed and said the same, adding on that she’d look forward to it.

\---

_ December _

“There’s… I’m sorry, Qrow. There’s been a change in plans and I’ll be here for six more months. I won’t be back for the dinner.”

After the call ended, he gave Tai a ring. They needed to update their Christmas plans. But as soon he picked up the phone, all he could do was cry and barely make out the words to tell him that Winter was delayed.

He wasn’t sure what was worse - the extra time he would have to wait or that her voice was as broken as he was.

He barely made out that he loved her. She could barely return it too.

\---

_ January _

“... been a blur, Winter. It’s been a real blur, this past month. I don’t even know how I made it through the first two weeks of teaching class. But I’m better now. And by the sound of things, it looks like you were able to deal with it a bit better than I did. Oh, and tell Ol’ Jimmy I said hello and tell him I gave him the finger for keeping you out that long.”

“Heh… alright. I love you Qrow.”

“Love you too, Ice Queen.”

\---

_ February _

Winter had asked if he was alright and he responded that it still hurt to think back to Christmas. But he understood. She wouldn’t be out there if Jimmy didn’t think it was for the best. And after Salem and everything else, ‘for the best’ was something Qrow could get behind.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ March _

Winter was officially nearing its end and the snow started melting a week ago. He joked that now he wouldn’t have to see her every day, and the way she laughed was heavenly. But she spoke up again, mentioning that the full operation would begin shortly. It was her way of saying it should be dangerous without admitting it.

Qrow just nodded. Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same. He also wanted to mention a little something extra, but Winter needed to focus on the mission. It’s not like she was actually here to celebrate their anniversary.

\---

_ April _

The first thing he did was mention their anniversary and that he didn’t forget. He just didn’t want to say it since she was at the most critical part of the mission last month. She mentioned that of all the things she had seen, he had never forgotten their anniversary and didn’t expect him to anytime soon. With a smile on his lips, he found himself talking about the end of the school year. Some students would be graduating, others would be returning for their next year, but he mostly complained about the exams he’d have to grade.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ May _

The hard part of the mission was over, according to Winter. There were still some things to clean up, but otherwise it should be smooth sailing. There was still the paperwork, but that would be next month most likely. He said it was time for him to do paperwork too, with the exams and whatnot. There were also a few things he had to do for graduation, all of which he hated. She asked why he even became a teacher and he shrugged, stating it was pretty fun most of the time.

Before they parted, he said he loved her and she said the same.

\---

_ June _

It’s just the paperwork now, Winter told him. She was more talkative than before, and Qrow let her go on. Her voice was clear and all about general operations and closing, but there was a ring to it that just told him that she was anxious to return. By the time she caught herself and realized that he barely had a chance to talk, her time was almost up and she had to go.

“Alright, see you soon then.”

“What, no ‘I love you’?”

“Just saving it for when you get home.”

“Hmph. I’ll hold onto mine, too then.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll be seeing you soon, Ice Queen.”

“Yes, goodbye Qrow.”

\---

Winter came home three days early. He held her three times as tightly as he could have imagined. And for a while that was all they did. There was a crippling relief, a catharsis that she really was back, that he really did make it, and he almost couldn’t believe it. His head tilted forward and he placed a kiss upon her hair. There was nothing else to say or do in this moment. At least not until she said-

“Qrow.”

“Yes?”

“Fuck me.  _ Now _ .”


End file.
